ABSTRACT
This study aims to characterize the evolution of fracture energy (GIC) of three different rubbers during thermal oxidation. Rubbers has been chosen to cover three different situations; polychloroprene (CR) and Chlorinated Polyethylene (CPE) both undergo strain induced crystallisation phenomena leading to an increase in GIC. CR and CPE have the same chemical structure except that CPE does not contain any carbon double bonds and so does not undergo cross linking when oxidised. At the same time a rubber with carbon double bonds but which does not strain crystallize has been studied: a polybutadiene based Polyurethane (PU).
